1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, an image processing system and an image processing method that can be applied, for example, to a copier having an electro-photographic process, or a copier having another process, and to a computer readable storage medium storing a program for executing the method, and the program.
2. Description of the Related Art
Management of confidential documents has taken various forms over the years. The simplest method has been to place the term “Confidential Information” or a similar term onto the pages of the confidential document. Another method is where the device making a copy of the confidential document, such as a digital copier, embeds a security watermark (e.g., “copying of this document is prohibited”) onto the document during the copying operation. And, in still yet another method, the original document is produced on a special type of recording medium such that when an attempt is made to copy the original, the resulting copy is all black.
The above-described conventional document management methods range from allowing an original document to be completely copied to not allowing an original document to be copied at all. For example, the method of only placing the term “Confidential Information” onto the pages of an original document does not in and of it self prevent copying of the original. It is really nothing more than a notice that the contents of the document are considered confidential. On the other hand, the method of entirely blacking out the resulting copy of an original document prevents anyone from copying the original, even if all or parts of the original are allowed to be copied.
For example, suppose a case in which it is desired to provide a required number of copies of a confidential document distributed to a director some days after it has been distributed, in order to explain the contents to junior personnel of the director. Conventionally, it has been impossible to provide such copies because, for example, the resulting copies are entirely black, or characters “copying prohibited” appear on the copies.
In addition to document security, there is a concern about the degradation in the quality of the copies as additional copies are made/needed. For example, in the case where copies of a confidential document are required at different times, typically, the initial set of copies are made from the original document. Any subsequent set is made from one of the initial set of copies. Any subsequent sets made after are made from the preceding set. Since each subsequent set of copies is made from a copy, and not the original, the quality of each subsequent set tends to degrade.
What is needed is an image processing system and method that provides a mechanism for copying an original document while maintaining the security of that document, if needed, and providing a high quality copy each time a copy is required.